1
Ph.D. student at Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University,Tehran, Iran
10.22034/isqs.2026.52541.2428
Abstract
Certain divine attributes mentioned in the Qur’an—especially those associated with negative connotations in human understanding—have long been a point of theological and exegetical controversy. This study focuses on the concept of makr (divine plotting) and its attribution to God in the Qur’an. Through a lexical, Qur’anic, and exegetical analysis, the research seeks to reinterpret this term within a framework of divine transcendence and unity (tanzīh and tawḥīd). Employing a critical-analytical methodology, the study examines the interpretive positions of fifteen prominent Sunni and Shia exegetes. After classifying these views into distinct interpretive models, the findings reveal that approaches treating makr merely as metaphor, rhetorical device, or a component of divine custom (sunnat al-rubūbiyyah), though containing noteworthy elements, lack sufficient conceptual and rational coherence. In contrast, views that consider divine makr as a real act—concealed planning and a just response to human wrongdoing—not only align more closely with Qur’anic usage and linguistic evidence, but also provide a theologically sound and textually grounded explanation of this divine attribute.
Bazrafshan Moghadam,F and Roohi Barandagh,K . (2026). A Critical-Analytical Study of Sunni and Shia Exegetes’ Views on Divine Makr from a Theological-Exegetical Perspective. (e14114). Quranic Studies and Islamic Culture, (), e14114 doi: 10.22034/isqs.2026.52541.2428
MLA
Bazrafshan Moghadam,F , and Roohi Barandagh,K . "A Critical-Analytical Study of Sunni and Shia Exegetes’ Views on Divine Makr from a Theological-Exegetical Perspective" .e14114 , Quranic Studies and Islamic Culture, , , 2026, e14114. doi: 10.22034/isqs.2026.52541.2428
HARVARD
Bazrafshan Moghadam F, Roohi Barandagh K. (2026). 'A Critical-Analytical Study of Sunni and Shia Exegetes’ Views on Divine Makr from a Theological-Exegetical Perspective', Quranic Studies and Islamic Culture, (), e14114. doi: 10.22034/isqs.2026.52541.2428
CHICAGO
F Bazrafshan Moghadam and K Roohi Barandagh, "A Critical-Analytical Study of Sunni and Shia Exegetes’ Views on Divine Makr from a Theological-Exegetical Perspective," Quranic Studies and Islamic Culture, (2026): e14114, doi: 10.22034/isqs.2026.52541.2428
VANCOUVER
Bazrafshan Moghadam F, Roohi Barandagh K. A Critical-Analytical Study of Sunni and Shia Exegetes’ Views on Divine Makr from a Theological-Exegetical Perspective. Quranic Studies and Islamic Culture. 2026;():e14114 (In Persian). doi: 10.22034/isqs.2026.52541.2428
